Tragic Event - Just A Simple Reminder

[Hearth Mistress]

I just wanted to share this story, it is real, one of my employee's tragic story, not some internet story.

Evidently one of my employees fell outside his apartment complex Sunday night. He was found unresponsive in a puddle of blood by another resident. They assume he fell, hitting his head and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Unfortunately, no one in his family was aware any of this had happened as no one at the hospital or apartment knew who to call and there was no info in his wallet, no cell phone either.

When he didn’t show up to work on Tuesday, no call no show, very out of the ordinary, the supervisor looked up his emergency contacts and called his brother to make sure all was ok.

When the family could not reach him either, they went to his apartment and it was then they found out what happened.

He had brain surgery this morning but the prognosis is not good. They do not know what happened as he has been unconscious since arriving and do not know how long he was outside before being found.

I wanted to share this story as we all rely on our smart phones and technology for our information and in this case, it wasn't available. If you don’t have something in your wallet right now that has emergency contact info on it, please take the time to write something out, it could save your life one day.

 

[Boog]

If you have a cell phone, make an entry called "Emergency Contact" and the name and phone number of the first person you would like to be reached. Being involved with emergency response for a number of years, I have had to go through folks cell phones to try and find someone to call. Sometimes you lucked out and there was a "Mom or Dad" entry. Other times we were shooting in the dark just calling any number saying "hey, I've got this guy who just keeled over and your number is in their phone, can you tell me who they are" etc.

 

[FanMan]

It's often recommended to put one or more "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) contacts in your cell phone. Most first responders know to look for "ICE",

 

[Hearth Mistress]

He didn't carry a cell phone, he told us they were just "a leash" so never bothered to get one. His brother even tried to give him one as a retirement gift when he left the USPS but he never activated it, still in the box all these years later.

Needless to say, I made sure everyone of my employees had the ICE app on their phone or an entry in their contacts.

It's also a good idea to put it in your wallet too, for instance, in a car accident, your phone could be destroyed on impact and no matter what's in there, it won't be accessible.

My company has set up a charitable trust to help his family if they need it, that is one of the great things they do for people.

Life can change in an instant, it makes you think it could happen to any of us, any time.

 

[charly]

Sorry to hear all this,,, I'm wondering if the poor guy had a stroke?

 

[Danno77]

well, to you it's a "real story" but to me it's an internet story.

Your point is well taken, though. My phone has a lock on it so it can't be used, but the lock screen actually says to call my wife (with her #) ICE or if the phone is lost & found.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

He passed away last night from complications of a traumatic head injury. No one will ever know what happened because he never came out of it. The doctors don't think it was a stroke as all the tests they ran came back normal. He watched the game with his brother, that's the last thing anyone can confirm until he was found in the parking lot of his complex several hours later. They think he just tripped, coming back from taking out the trash based on where evwas found, hitting his head on the curb.

In any case, it was tragic and I have a funeral to attend on Monday.

If you have a cell phone, that you lock, make sure you have other contacts in your wallet. We rely on so much technology but good old paper and pen is full proof.

 

[Danno77]

I'm sorry to hear this, my condolences to his friends and family.

 

[charly]

Sorry to hear such sad news.....my prayers to all his family and friends...so tragic....